Overview

According to The Office for National Statistics (ONS), women comprise just 15.8% of the construction workforce and only 2% of workers onsite (2023). This demonstrates the significant challenges that remain in the recruitment, retention and progression of women in the industry. Despite this, women continue to make up a growing proportion of the sector and are making strides in becoming leaders in their field. Supporting women in overcoming barriers to representation is vital for improving equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the sector and will play a vital role in tackling the industry’s skills shortage.

  • Construction ranks lowest of all UK employment sectors in gender parity (Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), 2023)
  • 224,900 additional workers are needed to meet UK construction demand between now and 2027 (The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), 2023)
  • The number of women as a proportion of the overall construction workforce has increased by 36.9% since 2012 (ONS, 2022)

Join us at Women in Construction: Innovation and Leadership in the Built Environment to hear the latest guidance from industry leaders on empowering women and tackling sector-specific barriers to gender equality. High-level keynotes will provide guidance on creating an inclusive workplace culture in male-dominated environments, followed by case studies demonstrating best practice in tackling barriers to recruitment, retention and progression of female staff. Key topics include creating a positive workplace culture, supporting colleagues going through menopause and attracting younger female applicants. A breakout networking session then offers the opportunity to share your challenges and solutions whilst networking with senior colleagues across the sector.

Why Attend:
✓Insights into Gender Equality in Construction: Gain an overview of current trends and challenges in achieving gender parity within the construction industry

✓Promoting Diversity through Sustainability: Discover methods for engaging female applicants with roles in sustainability, contributing to environmental and social goals.

✓Confidence Building Initiatives: Learn about programs designed to support women in returning to work after career breaks, fostering confidence and skill development

✓Recruitment and Retention Strategies: Explore inclusive recruitment and onboarding practices aimed at attracting and retaining top talent from diverse backgrounds

✓Inclusive Health and Safety Practices: Learn about gender-specific safety procedures and equipment, as well as strategies for empowering female professionals with on-the-job training to ensure workplace safety

✓Enhance your Professional Development: 8 CPD points towards your yearly quota

For more information please call 0330 058 4285

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Agenda

  • Online Registration

  • Chair’s Opening Remarks 

    Suzannah Nichol MBE, Chief Executive, Build UK (invited)

  • Keynote: Elevating Women: Overcoming Barriers to Gender Equality in Construction

    This presentation explores the current trends and challenges in achieving gender parity in construction, including the latest policies and funding to support women, strategies for re-entry into the workforce, recommendations for attracting female talent, and workplace strategies for LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse female colleagues.

    • Overview of current trends and challenges in reaching gender parity in construction
    • Updates on the latest policies and funding to support women at work and create flexible employment opportunities
    • Supporting women in returning to work following career breaks through confidence-building initiatives
    • Recommendations for attracting female talent and ensuring hiring processes are fair and inclusive
    • Workplace strategies for identifying and meeting the needs of LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse female colleagues

    Gillian Unsworth, Deputy Director, Gender Equality Division, Cabinet Office (CONFIRMED)

  • Keynote: Diversifying the Construction Workforce to Meet Industry Skills Shortages

    This session will provide innovative strategies for bridging skills gaps, leveraging data to combat pay inequalities, enhancing female professional visibility, and engaging female applicants in sustainability roles to achieve ESG targets..

    • Overcoming skills gaps through creative job adverts that encourage applicants from a broad and diverse talent pool
    • Guidance on applying data to tackle gender and race pay inequalities and improve transparency in application processes
    • Methods for outreach to tackle misconceptions and promote the visibility of successful female professionals as role models
    • Engaging female applicants with roles in sustainability to help achieve environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets

    Olivia Jenkins, Co-Chair, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) (Midlands) (CONFIRMED)

  • Key Supporter Session

  • Question and Answers 

  • Comfort Break

  • Keynote: Embedding Diversity and Inclusion into the Heart of Construction

    Outlining a comprehensive action plan for enhancing representation and setting clear organizational ambitions on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), emphasizing leadership engagement, inclusive workplace culture development, strategies for transparency and accountability, and tips for challenging alienating language and practices.

    • Guidance for designing an action plan for improving representation and setting clear organisational ambitions on EDI
    • Engaging leadership with EDI principles to champion diversity and demonstrate commitments to inclusivity
    • Tips for creating an inclusive workplace culture that challenges alienating language and practices for female staff
    • Strategies for effective transparency and accountability on progress to identify and meet future areas for improvement

    Mark Harrison, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Transformation, The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) (CONFIRMED)

  • Case Study: Recruitment and Retention: Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

    This presentation explores innovative practices for inclusive recruitment and onboarding, focusing on understanding and overcoming hiring barriers for specific groups, developing flexible career paths for mid-career women with caring responsibilities, and strategies for empowering staff from minoritised backgrounds and enhancing workplace wellbeing.

    • Inclusive recruitment and onboarding: innovative practice for embedding a welcoming approach for new recruits
    • Gaining insights from internal colleagues and external applicants to understand and tackle hiring barriers for specific groups
    • Developing flexibility in career pipelines to accommodate and retain mid-career women with caring responsibilities
    • Tips for developing employee networks to empower staff from minoritised backgrounds and support workplace wellbeing

    Anna Sirmoglou, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Mott Macdonald (CONFIRMED)

  • Case Study:  Improving Accessibility into Construction Through Apprenticeships and On-the-Job Training

    This presentation will outline strategies for promoting gender equality in professional development, including collaborations with educational institutions, activities to enhance workplace belonging, and the establishment of dedicated managers for tailored career support, aiming to retain and advance women and girls in the workforce.

    • Ensuring equal opportunities: sharing successful schemes to encourage the professional development of women and girls
    • Ideas for working with schools and colleges to inspire young people from under-represented backgrounds
    • Activities to foster a sense of belonging in the workplace and improve retention of younger female professionals in the workforce
    • Creating dedicated managers to support individuals with tailored career progression plans and pathways

    Carol Lynch, CEO, Construction Youth Trust (CONFIRMED)

  • Questions and Answers 

  • Lunch Break

  • Panel Discussion: Succeeding in Male-Dominated Environments and Progressing into Leadership

    • Boosting the confidence of female professionals through dedicated feedback and guidance
    • Creating opportunities for female senior leaders to offer allyship and mentorship to junior female colleagues
    • Tips for overcoming imposter syndrome and recognising your strengths
    • Improving internal processes to tackle implicit biases and stereotypes that hinder women from succeeding in the workplace
    • Panellists will share their insights before taking questions from the floor

    Roni Savage, Managing Director, Jomas Associates (Engineering & Environmental) (invited)

    Siu Mun Li, Director at Temporary Works Forum, Multiplex (CONFIRMED)

    Nicola Bird, Founder and CEO, AccXel (CONFIRMED)

  • Questions and Answers 

  • Breakout Networking: Strengthening EDI in the Workplace to Support Female Colleagues from All Backgrounds

    This session will provide you with the opportunity to discuss the main challenges you face in attracting, retaining and progressing diverse talent. Share the strategies that have worked well in your organisation whilst networking with senior women and colleagues from across the sector.

  • Comfort Break

  • Case Study: Mitigating the Impacts of Menopause to Enable Fulfilling Working Lives

    This presentation provides methods for creating a supportive workplace environment for colleagues managing menopause symptoms, including workplace adjustments, unconscious bias training, allyship initiatives, and health screening support, aiming to reduce stigma and discrimination, and enhance overall well-being.

    • Strengthening workplace adjustments to support colleagues in managing menopause symptoms and eliminating reproductive hazards
    • Developing bespoke unconscious bias training to tackle stigma and discrimination around menopause and fertility
    • Engaging male colleagues and encouraging allyship with awareness-raising initiatives
    • Supporting female staff and family members to access health screenings and signpost relevant advice

    Helen White, Head of People Operations and Reward, Willmott Dixon Holdings Limited (CONFIRMED)

  • Case Study: Inclusive Health and Safety: Delivering Effective Provision for Women

    This session delivers ways for enhancing workplace safety and gender equality through gender-specific safety procedures, equipment, and facilities, early hazard reporting, maternity protection, and empowering female professionals with on-the-job training.

    • Addressing and removing hazards through creating gender-specific safety procedures, equipment and onsite facilities
    • Taking preventative action early on by encouraging employee participation in reporting hazards
    • Successful strategies for centering the needs of female colleagues whilst conducting safety inspections and reviews
    • Maternity in the workplace: eliminating risks and hazards to provide protection for pregnant colleagues
    • Empowering female professionals with on-the-job training to support them in performing their jobs safely

    Lauren Watts, Head of Health and Safety Services, Gleeds (CONFIRMED)

  • Questions and Answers

  • Chair’s Summary and Close

    *Programme subject to change

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Who Should Attend

Who Should Attend?

This Conference is open to Public, Private and Third Sectors.

For more information or to make a booking please call 0330 058 4285

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Sponsorship

Raise your Profile, Showcase Your Solutions, Generate New Business

If your products, services, and solutions can support our audiences in their roles, and you want to make connections and generate new business with key stakeholders, decision makers, and influencers, then please contact Chris and Ali today at sponsorship@governmentevents.co.uk or complete our enquiry form here and we will contact you.

Benefits of partnering with us include:

  • Brand awareness: Be seen by a highly targeted and engaged audience before, during, and after the conference.
  • Lead generation: Meet the decision-makers and influencers responsible for making purchasing decisions on cyber security and data protection.
  • Thought leadership: Position your organisation and experts as thought leaders and the ‘go to’ experts.
  • Networking: Make valuable connections with potential new customers and partners across government and the wider public sector
  • Grow your business: Reach decision makers in a single event on just one day and in one location (with no travel/accommodation required), saving you time and money.
  • Gain valuable insights: Hear the latest from key stakeholders in government, and across the public and voluntary sectors.

IMPORTANT: There are only a small number of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure maximum exposure and ROI – contact us today to secure your place.

All packages include:

  • Extensive branding – before, during, after the conference
  • 15-20 min morning speaking session with Q&A
  • Virtual stand to showcase your organisation, products, services, and solutions
  • Opportunities to network during the day
  • Half to full page ad in the E-Guide
  • Banner ad on the virtual events platform
  • Announcement post on LinkedIn
  • Announcement within delegate communication
  • 1-3 delegate places (worth upto £1,947)
  • Access to the delegate details after the event
  • Ongoing exposure through OnDemand (coming soon)

For more information and discuss your specific objectives, please contact Chris and Ali at sponsorship@governmentevents.co.uk or complete our enquiry form here

Virtual vs F2F

Whilst F2F provide better options for networking, there are many distinct advantages of sponsoring our online conferences including:

  • Wider geographical reach of delegates and a different audience who prefer online to f2f
  • Lower sponsorship package costs
  • No travel/accommodation
  • Less time out of the office
  • No stand materials required (lower costs)
  • 1 of only 2 sponsors involved – less competition on the day
  • Prime speaking slot in the morning of the conference including Q&A – less distractions and easier for delegates to hear/absorb information
  • Receive all delegate data after the conference to follow-up directly with those who attend and don’t attend (small % but still key stakeholders)
  • Ongoing exposure via OnDemand access (coming soon)

To find out more and discuss your specific objectives, please contact Chris and Ali at sponsorship@governmentevents.co.uk or complete our enquiry form here

Pricing
  • Public and Private Sector Rate:: £449.00+VAT
  • Voluntary Sector Rate:: £379.00+VAT